Device, method, and apparatus for offline discontinuous reception (DRX) processing in cellular systems

Abstract

An apparatus and method for processing signals are disclosed. The apparatus may include a transceiver configured to receive a first paging signal during a first cycle, a memory, and a processor configured to store the received first paging signal in the memory, to switch the transceiver to an off state after the first paging signal is stored in the memory, and to process the stored first paging signal while the transceiver is in the off state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for processing signals, comprising:
 switching a transceiver of a mobile device to an on state; 
 receiving a first paging signal via the transceiver during a first cycle; 
 storing the received first paging signal in a memory of the mobile device; 
 switching the transceiver to an off state; 
 processing the stored first paging signal while the transceiver is in the off state, wherein the processing comprises generating a second paging signal based on an automatic gain control (AGC) processing of the first paging signal and overwriting at least part of the stored first paging signal with at least part of the second paging signal in the memory, and wherein the AGC processing comprises computing a low noise amplifier (LNA) gain estimate from the first paging signal; and 
 applying the LNA gain estimate computed from the first paging signal during the first cycle to a subsequent paging signal during a subsequent cycle. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises discontinuous receive (DRX) processing the first paging signal. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the overwriting comprises overwriting the stored first paging signal with all of the second paging signal in the memory. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the AGC processing further comprises:
 computing a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA) gain estimate from the first paging signal; 
 storing the LNA gain estimate and the DVGA gain estimate; 
 applying an LNA gain estimate computed from a previous paging signal during a previous cycle to the first paging signal during the first cycle; and 
 applying the stored DVGA gain estimate to the first paging signal during the first cycle to generate the second paging signal. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing further comprises:
 frequency processing the second paging signal: 
 generating a third paging signal based on the frequency processing of the second paging signal: and 
 overwriting at least part of the second paging signal with at least part of the third paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the frequency processing comprises:
 computing a frequency error factor of the second paging signal; 
 storing the frequency error factor; and 
 applying the stored frequency error factor to the second paging signal during the first cycle to generate the third paging signal. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the processing further comprises:
 time processing the third paging signal; 
 generating a fourth paging signal based on the time processing of the third paging signal; and 
 overwriting at least part of the third paging signal with at least part of the fourth paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the time processing comprises:
 computing a time error factor of the third paging signal; 
 storing the time error factor; and 
 applying the computed time error factor to the third paging signal during the first cycle to generate the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the time processing comprises:
 computing a time error factor of the third paging signal; 
 storing the time error factor; and 
 applying a time error factor computed from a previous paging signal during; a previous cycle to the third paging signal during the first cycle to generate the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor does not exceed a predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising applying the stored time error factor computed from the third paging signal during the first cycle to the subsequent paging signal during the subsequent cycle. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the processing further comprises:
 performing a first type of channel and noise estimation of the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor does not exceed a predetermined threshold; and 
 performing a second type of channel and noise estimation of the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processing further comprises demodulating the fourth paging signal based on the channel and noise estimation. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the processing further comprises decoding the demodulated fourth paging signal to determine whether the received first paging signal is intended for the mobile device. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the processing further comprises:
 time processing the third paging signal; 
 generating a fourth paging signal based on the time processing of the third paging signal; and 
 overwriting the third paging signal with the fourth paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first paging signal is a serving cell sample received from a serving cell base station. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the AGC processing further comprises applying the LNA gain estimate and the DVGA gain estimate computed from the serving cell sample during the first cycle to a neighbor cell sample during the first cycle. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the memory comprises a serving cell memory and a neighbor cell memory, and wherein serving cell samples are stored in the serving cell memory, and neighbor cell samples are stored in the neighbor cell memory. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a duration of the first cycle is determined by a discontinuous receive (DRX) cycle length parameter established by a serving cell base station. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing comprises AGC processing the first paging signal. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing further comprises:
 frequency processing the second paging signal; 
 generating a third paging signal based on the frequency processing of the second paging signal; and 
 overwriting the second paging signal with the third paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1 , wherein overwriting comprises overwriting the stored first paging signal in the memory so that no additional memory is used for storing the second paging signal. 
     
     
       22. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to receive a first paging signal during a first cycle; 
 a memory; and 
 a processor configured to:
 store the received first paging signal in the memory; 
 switch the transceiver to an off state after the first paging signal is stored in the memory; 
 process the stored first paging signal while the transceiver is in the off state, wherein the processing comprises generating a second paging signal based on an automatic gain control (AGC) processing of the first paging signal and overwriting at least part of the stored first paging signal with at least part of the second paging signal in the memory; 
 compute a low noise amplifier (LNA) gain estimate from the first paging signal; and 
 apply the LNA gain estimate computed from the first paging signal during the first cycle to a subsequent paging signal during a subsequent cycle. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform discontinuous receive (DRX) processing on the first paging signal. 
     
     
       24. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the overwriting comprises overwriting the stored first paging signal with the all of second paging signal in the memory. 
     
     
       25. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein processor is further configured to:
 compute a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA) gain estimate from the first paging signal; 
 store the LNA gain estimate and the DVGA gain estimate; 
 apply an LNA gain estimate computed from a previous paging signal during a previous cycle to the first paging signal during the first cycle; and 
 apply the stored DVGA gain estimate to the first paging signal during the first cycle to generate the second paging signal. 
 
     
     
       26. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 perform frequency processing on the second paging signal; 
 generate a third paging signal based on the frequency processing of the second paging signal; and 
 overwrite at least part of the second paging signal with at least part of the third paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       27. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compute a frequency error factor of the second paging signal; 
 store the frequency error factor; and 
 apply the stored frequency error factor to the second paging signal during the first cycle to generate the third paging signal. 
 
     
     
       28. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 perform time processing on the third paging signal; 
 generate a fourth paging signal based on the time processing of the third paging signal; and 
 overwrite at least part of the third paging signal with at least part of the fourth paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       29. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compute a time error factor of the third paging signal; 
 store the time error factor; and 
 apply the computed time error factor to the third paging signal during the first cycle to generate the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor exceeds a threshold. 
 
     
     
       30. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compute a time error factor of the third paging signal; 
 store the time error factor; and 
 apply a time error factor computed from a previous paging signal during a previous cycle to the third paging signal during the first cycle to generate the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor does not exceed a threshold. 
 
     
     
       31. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to apply the stored time error factor computed from the third paging signal during the first cycle to the subsequent paging signal during the subsequent cycle. 
     
     
       32. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 perform a first type of channel and noise estimation of the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor does not exceed a predetermined threshold; and 
 perform a second type of channel and noise estimation of the fourth paging signal if the computed time error factor exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       33. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the processor is further configured to demodulate the fourth paging signal based on the channel and noise estimation. 
     
     
       34. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the processor is further configured to decode the demodulated fourth paging signal to determine whether the received first paging signal is intended for the mobile device. 
     
     
       35. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 perform time processing on the third paging signal; 
 generate a fourth paging signal based on the time processing of the third paging signal; and 
 overwrite the third paging signal with the fourth paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       36. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the first paging signal is a serving cell sample received from a serving cell base station. 
     
     
       37. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to apply the LNA gain estimate and the DVGA gain estimate computed from the serving cell sample during the first cycle to a neighbor cell sample during the first cycle. 
     
     
       38. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the memory comprises a serving cell memory and a neighbor cell memory, and wherein serving cell samples are stored in the serving cell memory, and neighbor cell samples are stored in the neighbor cell memory. 
     
     
       39. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein a duration of the first cycle is determined by a discontinuous receive (DRX) cycle length parameter established by a serving cell base station. 
     
     
       40. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the processing comprises AGC processing the first paging signal. 
     
     
       41. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 perform frequency processing on the second paging signal; 
 generate a third paging signal based on the frequency processing of the second paging signal; and 
 overwrite the second paging signal with the third paging signal in the memory. 
 
     
     
       42. The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 22 , overwriting comprises overwriting the stored first paging signal in the memory so that no additional memory is used for storing the second paging signal. 
     
     
       43. An apparatus, comprising:
 means for switching a transceiver of a mobile device to an on state; 
 means for receiving a first paging signal via the transceiver during a first cycle; 
 means for storing the received first paging signal in a memory of the mobile device; 
 means for switching the transceiver to an off state; and 
 means for processing the stored first paging signal while the transceiver is in the off state, wherein the processing comprises generating a second paging signal based on an automatic gain control (AGC) processing of the first paging signal and overwriting at least part of the stored first paging signal with at least part of the second paging signal in the memory, and wherein the AGC processing comprises computing a low noise amplifier (LNA) gain estimate from the first paging signal; and 
 wherein the means for processing further includes means for applying the LNA gain estimate computed from the first paging signal during the first cycle to a subsequent paging signal during a subsequent cycle. 
 
     
     
       44. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 switch a transceiver of a mobile device to an on state; 
 receive a first paging signal via the transceiver during a first cycle; 
 store the received first paging signal in a memory of the mobile device; 
 switch the transceiver to an off state; 
 process the stored first paging signal while the transceiver is in the off state, wherein the processing comprises generating a second paging signal based on an automatic gain control (AGC) processing of the first paging signal and overwriting at least part of the stored first paging signal with at least part of the second paging signal in the memory, and wherein the AGC processing comprises computing a low noise amplifier (LNA) gain from the first paging signal; and 
 apply the LNA gain estimate computed from the first paging signal during the first cycle to a subsequent paging signal during a subsequent cycle. 
 
     
     
       45. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 switch a transceiver of a mobile device to an on state; 
 receive a first paging signal via the transceiver during a first cycle; 
 store the received first paging signal in a memory of the mobile device; 
 switch the transceiver to an off state; 
 process the stored first paging signal while the transceiver is in the off state, wherein the processing comprises generating a second paging signal based on an automatic gain control (AGC) processing of the first paging signal and overwriting at least part of the stored first paging signal with at least part of the second paging signal in the memory; 
 compute a low noise amplifier (LNA) gain estimate from the first paging signal; and 
 apply the LNA gain estimate computed from the first paging signal during the first cycle to a subsequent paging signal during a subsequent cycle.